Americas
Shipping from Canada to the UK
Montreal for fast transatlantic service into Eastern Canada, Vancouver for Pacific gateway access — we run both lanes weekly.
Container shipping from the UK to Canada runs full container load to Vancouver (CAVAN) and Montreal (CAMTR). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Canada at present. Sea transit is 10–26 days port to port and air freight 1–3 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Canada are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Canada
Full container load and groupage both go to Vancouver and Montreal. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Vancouver or Montreal
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Southampton.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Canada at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Canada
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Canada are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,700.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,700.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £85.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Canada?
Machinery and industrial equipment, construction plant and materials, scientific and medical devices, spirits and branded consumer goods, and household effects move through Vancouver, Montreal and Halifax.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Canada?
Canada charges GST at a standard rate of 5%, charged at 5% federally on the duty-paid value, with provincial sales tax on top in most provinces. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0% under the UK–Canada trade agreement, otherwise 0–18%, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
The headline 5% is federal GST only. Most provinces add their own sales tax, taking the combined rate to as much as 15% in the Atlantic provinces, so the destination province changes the landed cost. Since the CARM system went live, every commercial importer must be registered on the CARM Client Portal and post their own financial security — a consignee who has not done this cannot clear goods, no matter how complete the shipping file is.
What are the import restrictions in Canada?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Canada?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
Canada to the UK shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Canada take?
Sea freight runs about 10–26 days port to port, and air freight 1–3 days airport to airport. Montreal is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 10 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Canada?
We move cargo through 2 ports in Canada: Vancouver (CAVAN), Montreal (CAMTR). Full container load goes to Vancouver and Montreal. We have no scheduled groupage service to Canada at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Canada?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Canada — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Canada lane?
The St. Lawrence routing into Montreal is affected by winter conditions, so schedules on that lane are less uniform between roughly December and March. If timing is tight in those months, it is worth quoting an alternative gateway alongside it. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes machinery and industrial equipment, vehicles, parts and accessories, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Canada — each one works as an origin or a destination.
United States
Import & export · Los Angeles
LCL from
£88.00
per cubic metre
12+ days
View lane
Brazil
Import & export · Santos
LCL from
£92.00
per cubic metre
20+ days
View lane
Mexico
Import & export · Veracruz
LCL from
£88.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping from Canada? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.